Real Madrid 'open talks' to sign shock Liverpool star in stunning swap deal just hours after Anfield humbling
If this transfer happened it would certainly surprise fans.
Real Madrid have reportedly expressed their ‘interest’ in signing a Liverpool star – and it’s not Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The two sides met in the Champions League at Anfield on Wednesday evening, with the Premier League outfit impressing in a dominant 2-0 win over Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
The win saw the Reds regain the top spot in the 36-team Champions League group phase.
Madrid have been linked with Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold for some time, as the 26-year-old ‘s current contract at Anfield is set to expire this summer.
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But, surprisingly, the 15-time European champions could be in the market for another of Arne Slot’s players.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the clubs could be willing to ‘swap’ midfielders in the ‘next transfer market’.
The players in question are Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch and Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni – who was linked with a move to Anfield previously.
The report also suggests a fee of €20-30m would be offered in addition to the ‘swap deal’.
Gravenberch, 22, has impressed in his new role as Liverpool’s ‘number six’ this season despite falling out of favour under Jurgen Klopp last season.
But the arrival of his Dutch counterpart, Slot, has seemingly allowed the former Bayern Munich man to kick on in a Liverpool shirt.
Slot praised his player during his post-match press conference following the victory over Madrid on Wednesday.
"I agree with you he played a very good game, which was not that easy because he conceded a yellow card already quite early in the game," the Liverpool boss said.
"But he is so comfortable on the ball, and we like to have possession a lot and if you have possession a lot it’s always useful to have players that are so comfortable and dominant on the ball.
"And he brings, together with our last line, the ball towards the players that can hurt every opposition.
"That’s what makes him special, together with his running capacity – he just keeps on running.
"And he, like all the others, also profits from the team performance, because I’ve said it many times, the team performance makes the individual performance and not the opposite way around."
Gravenberch's current contract is set to run until June 2028.
As for Tchouaméni, he joined Los Blancos from Monaco in 2022, and despite showing signs of promise in his 103 appearances for the club he has never really been able to make the position his own.
Before he joined Madrid, he admitted that he watched Premier League games.
Like Gravenberch, the France international's contract at Madrid is set to expire in June 2028.
It is still unclear if any formal approaches have been made by either club.
Topics: Liverpool, Real Madrid, Transfer News, Premier League, Champions League, Ryan Gravenberch, Aurelien Tchouameni
Luke Davies